146 



REPORT OF THE 



No. 3 



5. Publicity. 



More visitors than ever called at the Forest Station during 1931. A visitor's 

 book was provided, and names of people from almost every country in the world 

 were registered. 



Organized parties were supplied with experienced guides who explained 

 the various points of interest in detail. 



Reforestation exhibits were set up at St. Thomas, Ingersoll, Woodstock, 

 Burford, Jarvis, Simcoe and Tillsonburg. 



Several other requests for our exhibit were made but on account of conflicting 

 dates it was impossible to concede. 



Orono 



The drought, which was experienced throughout this section of the Province 

 during 1930, continued throughout the year 1931. The precipitation for 1930 

 was approximately seven inches below the average for the preceding six years. 

 That for the year 1931 was even slightly less than that for the preceding year. 

 The drought conditions, which were rendered acute by having extended over 

 a period of two years, were made even more acute by an extreme heat wave 

 which descended on the countryside during late June and which lasted throughout 

 July, August and the greater part of September. Although certain of the 

 thin-barked species, notably white and norway spruce and larch, suffered 

 severely in the transplant lines, growth was uniformly good in the seed beds 

 and the plantations and, while growth was not so good, general survival and 

 appearance of the trees in the transplant lines was also good. 



(1) Nursery Operations 

 (a) Fertilizers. 



The usual practice of ploughing under green manure crops on areas just 

 cleared of transplants or seedlings, followed by a light top dressing of manure, 

 was again employed with complete success. Commercial fertilizers, i.e., dried 

 blood, acid phosphate, muriate of potash and sulphate of ammonia, were used 

 sparingly on the seed bed areas. In addition, a weak solution of nitrate of soda 

 was sprayed on the seed beds at intervals of two weeks from shortly after 

 germination to early June. This resulted in a very marked increase in growth 

 in the seedlings and a much better colour in those seedlings in the center of 

 crowded beds. 



Quantities of fertilizers used were as follows: 



(b) Seed. 



Seed gathered during the year comprised 80 bushels of walnuts, which were 

 an off crop in this district this year. 



Present seed on hand at the nursery is composed entirely of deciduous tree 

 seed which has been stratified in shallow, screened pits for spring planting. 



